Isabel the Dragonborn
by Assassin Black
Summary: Isabel is a Khajiit that was chosen as Dragonborn. Her task is to not only save Skyrim but to make something of herself along the way.
1. Chapter 1

"What in the hell are you doing to me?! Let me go!" I thrashed against the two captors as they fought to get my hands in bounds. I was scratching at the two men, not exactly sure where I was aiming but hoping to catch something other than air. It was not going well at all, especially whenever I had felt my wrists touching and I was beaten. Whenever my wrists, including my hands and arms, were unusable, I felt one of my captors grab my hair and pull hard. He or she was not gentle with their actions, though. My teeth were showing and my ears were flattened against my hair at this point. My body was now on display for the other to see. I wasn't naked but I wasn't exactly wearing anything that covered everything up as well. Being a female, I felt a little self-conscious having myself in this position with two men around. I have orange fur with accents on my arms and legs of black but it just made those spots look browner. My face has the markings of a wildcat like a bobcat or leopard. The pattern was white, making them stand out from my normal fur color. I didn't really resemble a housecat in looks at all, making my intimidation that much easier. My eyes are a gold color, matching my fur more than my markings on my face. I have a generously full head of hair, thankfully. I like my fur but I am fonder of my hair on my head. It is one thing that I make sure to keep well groomed more than anything. It is a shiny auburn and it reaches just below my neck line. The top layer is put into a ponytail while the rest is not held and free flowing.

"Stupid cat thinking you can leave alone. I hate your kind so much and seeing one of your heads rolling will make me so happy." I could see the one in front of me currently talking clearly. He was a stereotypical beast hating Imperial that seemed to get joy from seeing another person die if they didn't like them. I couldn't stand those but I held my tongue until a time whenever I could escape.

I was then put on a cart with a few other prisoners that were surprisingly not the same race as I. They were Nords but they didn't look at me with hate or disgust like I was expecting. They seemed to be respectful of myself but I couldn't tell for sure since it was silent except for the movement of horses and the carts wooden wheels. I was okay with silence but I couldn't help but move my wrists to try and get them into a more comfortable position then they were at the moment. The Imperials who took me were not generous with giving me comfort. I wasn't expecting to be loose but they seemed to gladly have the rope burn me with every slight move.

There were three other men in the same cart as I and they all seemed to act the same way. Quiet and didn't look like they had any plans to escape. I knew that even if I were to get out of the predicament and try to run, I would more than likely have some kind of weaponry in my back that would most likely kill me easily. Being unarmed myself and having armed guards around the cart would only spell my death instantly if I were to make a scene. I couldn't help but notice a second cart as well filled with even more Nords. I seemed to be the only one that stuck out.

"Hey, Khajiit. You were trying to cross the border, right?" The Nord man directly in front of me spoke, breaking the silence with a question that I was less than willing to answer. To show that I wasn't ignoring the man, I answered but very vaguely.

"I was trying to leave, yes." My voice gave the hint of annoyance and anger but the Nord didn't ask anymore, rather talking to the others in the cart. The man to my right couldn't talk, though. He had a cloth over his mouth tied tightly to stop him from making any sounds other than grunts. The last of us was a less than bulky Nord that looked like a weaker version of the other two. In fact, he seemed to have less courage than them as well. He was spurting out some details of trying to steal a horse and how he shouldn't be in the cart and all sorts of things but one thing caught my attention. He spoke towards the man with the covered mouth and called him 'Jarl of Windhelm' and the 'True High King'. I was not in Skyrim very long, in fact I was not supposed to be here at all but I had to return to do some business but I didn't bother to catch up on the current politics or anything of the sort so I didn't know what a 'Jarl' or a 'High King' was. I was hoping it wouldn't come to figuring out what they were but with how guarded these carts were, it didn't exactly seem like anyone who was bound were going to somewhere pleasant. It really didn't look good whenever the carts eventually made their way to a small town with only a handful of people. It may have been a small section of somewhere bigger like the Imperial City in Tamriel but I couldn't see pas their walls and didn't want to get up to try and look at the scenery. I didn't know where we were at the moment, anyhow. Even more, the Nord directly in front of me seemed to recognize somebody as being named 'General Tullius'. I wasn't sure who that was again but I didn't exactly think I was going to be figuring out so much today about a place I had no intention of staying in. There were people coming from a smaller path to the town but the main path was absent of anyone, probably not wanting to get trampled or hurt. It was excusable since I would do the same if I were not in this situation. If I were no tin this situation, I would probably be looking at the others here with less of a caring attitude as well. I would have never thought I would be bound and forced to be driven to who knows where. This could be a way to a jail or, if things were not looking my way, to my death. I was not given any details, just thrown in the cart and knocked out before waking up where I was now.

"This is Helgen." I guess our location was revealed from the Nord in front of me. I didn't know where Helgen was but it seemed to have less of a population than most other places I had seen in my last day in Skyrim, not counting the time this had all happened.

The Imperials driving the carts ended up parking them so the horses were looking at a wall and the back of the carts were looking towards the houses. There were two Imperials dressed in heavy and light armor. One was a male holding a list, looking through as we were ordered to evacuate the cart. No one was going to defy them while they were bound but the Nord that was labeled as a horse thief seemed to object highly with words. The Imperials had no intention of paying any attention to his pleas. The women in heavy armor looked to be a higher rank than the other's wearing light armor and was probably there for keeping control over the situation and, knowing some Imperials, for the enjoyment. I don't think it was for me but instead for the ones called 'Stormcloaks'. I didn't know who or what the organization or people were but they seemed to be a problem for the Imperials around here. Still, execution was a quick and unneeded punishment.

"Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm!" The male Imperial called out and the muffled man walked past the two towards the executioner and the chopping block.

"It's been an honor, Jarl Ulfric." The man that was in front of me in the cart spoke and called Ulfric a 'Jarl'. I still didn't know what a 'Jarl' was but I knew Windhelm was a hold in Skyrim. It could be some kind of leader but I didn't understand what a leader of a hold was doing about to be executed.

"Ralof of Riverwood!" The man who sat in front of me in the cart was called up next and he was silent but he had no fear. Like Ulfric, he walked with honor and no fear in his steps. I didn't know if I was going to be the same given how I had no reason to be here but maybe that would come to my advantage.

"Lokir of Rorikstead!" The horse thief was called up next but he didn't go up with an attitude of honor. He was pleading his way out but the woman was unmoved. He did something pretty extreme next, trying to run while bound. Not only was it hard to run while being impaired to start with, there was something I didn't notice right away. The woman called for archers and from the top of buildings came a half a dozen arrows that struck the man down before he got to the exit of Helgen. He was killed on the street but no one said a thing. They all looked at the man like he deserved it when it didn't seem like it. Still, maybe being by an executioner would have the same outcome but more messy.

"Wait, you there. Step forward." I wasn't ready to die right now until I knew there was no way I was getting out of this alive. I didn't plan on dying today but if I were to run, the archers would shoot me down and I would be in the same position as the horse thief. At least following their orders would give me more time to escape. If not, then today would just be the end of my life. I wasn't exactly enthusiastic to die but I still wasn't ready to say I was expecting it, either.

"Who…are you?" The man didn't mark anything on his list. It was obvious that I wasn't on it and was not supposed to die. There could still be a chance that I could get out of this alive by not being on their list of prisoners. That was the hope at the moment.

"I am Isabel; original name is Is'ma, from Tamriel." I wasn't going to divulge any information about my reason for being in Skyrim to these bullies but the man with the list didn't seem too eager to see me dead like some of the others. Maybe he could be the one that gets me out.

"You with one of the trade caravans, Khajiit? Your kind always seems to find trouble." I would not lie that it was true. Even when I was doing nothing but walking, like now, there always seemed to be some sort of trouble coming. This was, by far, the worst situation but I had others. He wrote something down, probably my name, and turned to the woman.

"Captain, what should we do? She is not on the list." So, the woman with the heavy armor was the captain. That meant the ones with light armor were probably normal soldiers. That cleared a couple things up but in this point in time, it didn't matter who was who. All that mattered was getting out with my head still attached.

"Forget the list, she goes to the block." The Captain was stern but not on my side. If the man was in charge, I would have probably been off with my freedom. Unfortunately, I wasn't one for good luck.

"By your orders, Captain. I'm sorry. We will make sure your returns are returned to Elsweyr." Of course this would go this way. Sure, I wasn't going to expect an easy way out but this surely wasn't their first execution. I willingly followed the Captain to where the other prisoners expecting death were. There seemed to be confrontation between Ulfric and a man dressed in light armor as well. He surely was in a higher position than anyone here, even the Captain. No one else looked like they had the nerve to walk up to a prisoner like Ulfric and command his attention.

"Ulfric Stormcloak. Some here in Helgen call you a hero. But a hero doesn't use a power like The Voice to murder his king and usurp his throne." The Imperial spoke like he stood. He mentioned something called 'The Voice' but I have never heard of anything like it. No books or scrolls mentioned anything about this voice power. Even more, maybe this Ulfric wasn't such a good guy. I wasn't one to believe things I heard right away but hearing something like this was pretty extreme. If Ulfric did kill a king and take the throne, that would explain how he became a 'Jarl'. It must have been some kind of leader of a large city but not of an entire land. At least, I assumed as much.

"You started this war, plunged Skyrim into chaos, and now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace." There was a part of this story I didn't believe. There was a chance that one man could start a war but there must have been another reason, one that these Imperials didn't think of. Not to mention killing a king or anyone in high power would cause riots and more war than simply solving the problem by talking or another peaceful strategy. At the very least, they should do something more subtle than a public execution.

After the man had finished talking to Ulfric, a loud roar came from nowhere. It was obviously loud enough that whatever made it was close but nothing was in sight. My ears easily caught it and perked up to search for its source. My eyes looked above and in front of me and they focused on something flying. I wasn't sure exactly what it was but I knew it wasn't a bird. It looked far away and I could barely make out details. That, I assumed, meant it wasn't close and was a lot larger than any bird that existed in any land I have been to.

"What was that?" I was obviously not the only one to notice the roar. Even the Imperials looked for its source. Sill, nothing shown itself and the execution when on without interruptions. The first prisoner that went up to be killed was probably one of the 'Stormcloaks' that Ralof talked about in the cart. He was dressed differently than the Imperials but it was in armor, not in normal clothing. The man was speaking with courage, though. He insulted the Imperials while even staring at the man that was about to chop his head from his body. He seemed to be unfearful of death and continued his insulting words until he was eventually silenced and his head was in a basket and his body on the other side of the block. It was a clean but blood was still there and both the body and head bled from their fatal injuries. After the body got moved to clear the position for the next dead man, there were a couple mixed phrases being thrown about. Some were cheering for the death of a Stormcloak while others were cursing the Imperials for killing one of their friends. I, as expected, kept silent as I didn't care who was killed as long as it was not I.

"Next Prisoner!" The Captain called up the next prisoner and I couldn't help but look to my right. I didn't know how they were going about this with order but when the man didn't move and everyone looked at me, the worst outcome came to light. I didn't have enough time to get out, find a way to escape and now I was going to join the Stormcloak in death. I wasn't ready for this but it was either a quick death or being shot by archers. Granted, both were pretty painless but it wouldn't matter. I was starting to walk forward when the roar came from nowhere again with the same response from the people. This time, though, they looked more worried. If it came twice, that meant either something was going to happen or it was my time to escape. Unfortunately, the Captain easily regained order and I finished my walk to the block. The executioner was waiting patiently and I clumsily got onto my knees above the dead body of the Stormcloak before me. I was not one to have a weak stomach with death and blood but being this close was unusual, especially with being part of an execution. I cringed as the Captain forced my head onto the block and I could see the head in the basket below me. It truly was gruesome when one was looking close rather than looking from far away. I sighed, ready for death when the roar came back for a third time but this time it also brought forth the beast that made the sound. I was not interested in the execution at this point because from the angle I was currently in, I saw the beast that made the roar. It was coming right for us! My eyes grew wide as I almost immediately recognized it. Everyone was told about dragons and it was common knowledge that they all were wiped out hundreds, if not longer, of years ago. I was speechless and my eyes grew wide as it landed hard on the tower just behind the executioner. I wasn't the first to notice the beast since the second it came into the town boundaries, everyone started moving in fear. The civilians were going back into their houses and the soldiers and prisoners were getting ready to run. Even the archers weren't looking at the prisoners, rather aiming their bows at the dragon. The dragon made a large force when it landed; knocking the executioner forwards and his axe barely missed my neck. It fell just in front of me. I still stayed where I was, not ready to move out of absolute fear. The dragon then did something that sounded like talking or at least saying some phrase or word and a storm appeared above Helgen, fireballs assaulting the ground from the sky. I summoned the courage to at least stand up whenever the dragon lifted itself back into the air and left me standing in place, witnessing a very destructive scene. Not to mention I was the only one standing out of half a dozen dead bodies that included the executioner and some prisoners and imperials. My hands were still bound and I stood motionless, thinking I was going to die by this dragon instead of a blade.


	2. Chapter 2

"Quickly, this way!" Over the confusion and panic, I heard a familiar voice. This wasn't one of the ones that tried to kill me either, thankfully. I turned my head to see Ralof from the cart gesturing towards the tower he was near. He was probably making a general gesture to anyone that happened to be looking his way at the moment but I easily took the invitation. It was hard to move after seeing something as terrifying as a dragon but my body was thinking more of its own safety rather than what was actually happening. My body was shaky as I ran but I made it through the door to the tower. Ralof waited another few seconds but came in after me, immediately closing the door. Not that a wooden door would stop a beast like a dragon from getting its prey. A stone wall probably couldn't protect someone either, if the dragon was powerful enough.

While Ralof and Ulfric were talking about the odds of it being a dragon, I looked out the sections in the tower that were supposed to be small windows, I could only assume. There was no doubt in my mind that what came from the sky was a dragon. After all, there were no birds that big that breathed fire and could scream in phrases. Not that I was sure anyone else heard any sort of sound that wasn't a roar.

"Up through the tower, let's go!" Again, I wasn't sure if Ralof meant me by that phrase but seeing as everyone else was either wounded or not moving, I followed him. At the top of the first flight of stairs was a Stormcloak soldier gesturing for Ralof and I to continue. Ralof and I were about to get to the man when the dragon from outside smashed in the wall and sent the man, as well as a large section of the tower, into a debris pile and finished the job by spurting a long jet of fire into the hole. It reached the other wall but I couldn't help and look at the beast. It was nothing like in the stories. There were probably dozens of different looks for dragons but seeing one up close was not the same as seeing one in a book, no matter how closely it was represented.

After the dragon scorched the man's corpse and the stone from the wall, he withdrew his head and Ralof started up again. I wasn't as eager to follow in case it came back for a second helping and I wasn't ready to follow a stranger to a place that just had a dangerous beast at it.

"Hurry, get up here!" Ralof was getting impatient and I finally felt it would be safe enough to advance. When I looked out the hole into the burning landscape, it was not what I had expected. Fire had engulfed just about every house and if it wasn't burning, it was crushed.

"See that inn on the other side? Jump to the roof and keep going. We will follow when we can." Ralof was talking about the only building that was able to be jumped to but there was no telling that it was an inn before. It was just as destroyed as the others, maybe in a little better condition. Ralof was already descending the stairs again, leaving me to continue onwards. He must have meant himself and any able warriors when he said 'We'.

I took in one deep breath and jumped. It wasn't hard as I was a Khajiit and we were renowned for our agility in both jumping and maneuvering, so the jump wasn't the part that was hard. The descent did hurt a little since my hands were still bound and I had to rely on my legs to catch me rather than falling onto all fours. I carefully but quickly sprinted forward and fell down the hole in front of me, reaching the main floor of what was an inn. I was met with yet another encounter with the dragon but this was a little more distressing. A man was on the ground in front of the dragon and a boy was hesitantly getting to cover, with the help of an Imperial soldier. It was a little odd to see an Imperial helping someone after having my head ready to be disconnected from my body by their own executioner. Still, it was probably expected since he wasn't talking to a Stormcloak or a prisoner. I cautiously walked out of the burned wall of the inn as the man in front of the dragon was burned to an over-cooked crisp.

"Still alive prisoner? Stay close to me if you want to stay that way." The Imperial was speaking to me as if he was not just ready to watch me get killed. Then again, I remember the man. He was the one holding the list, who didn't want me to be killed. At least, I assumed that he didn't. The Imperial left the kid and the man behind and started towards where the dragon was focused at the moment. If he was armed and he could at least be bait while I got away, I would take that over running alone.

I started following the man to a small space between a wall and a stone building. The Imperial stopped and I froze as well. I wasn't ready to run out and be fodder for the beast. From above me, the beast's wing landed a few inches from my person and I reflexively flattened my body against the building. I wasn't going to even try to wound the beast, not that I had that option, since it would most likely have a better chance of getting me down the for the count. When the beast left, the Imperial continued and I followed. In what looked like a courtyard. Wizards and archers were trying to knock the beast from the air but it was too fast and too high. They couldn't get a good shot and were shooting blanks. The Imperial into what looked like the main and biggest building in Helgen. It must have been a keep of some sort. Either way, the Imperial was cut off by Ralof as he was heading to an entrance to the keep. Ralof started an argument with the Imperial, who he had called Hadvar, but I was ignoring them to see where the dragon had gone. It was coming dangerously close but its target was an archer. The dragon grabbed the archer and threw him higher in the air. He obviously was dead before the dragon even let go because his body lifelessly fell to the ground not too far away. If I were not bound, I would have looted him for things to use as protection.

By the time I looked back to the two soldiers arguing, they were parting ways and Ralof told me I had to choose which to go with. I quickly made an educated guess and went with the one that was the least likely to turn on me, following Ralof. I took a look to see Hadvar but he had already entered his door. Ralof and I entered the keep and was met with an empty, circular tower with a dead Stormcloak inside. Ralof must have known this man because he spoke of him with respect.

"Looks like we're the only ones that made it. That thing was a dragon. No doubt, just like the children stories and the legends. The Harbingers of the End Time. We had better get moving. Come here; let me see if I can get those bindings off." I was a little hesitant still about someone I didn't know hold a knife around me but if he wanted me dead, he could have done it a while ago. I let Ralof cut the bindings and he did just that. I pulled the ropes from both wrists until they were clean and rubbed them, moving them to make sure they still worked right. I wasn't in the bindings for long but they were tight enough that I was losing feeling in them little by little.

"Mine as well take Gunjar's gear; he won't be needing it anymore." Ralof was talking about the man dead before us two. As disgraceful as it was to take a dead man's items, Ralof was right. He was dead and I had nothing on for protection or to use as a weapon.

"Turn away, Ralof." I personally did not like anything under any sort of clothing unless it was a bra or panties. I didn't like the feel of clothes on clothes.

"Oh, right. Get ready and I will look to see if we can get out of here." Ralof went to one of the iron clad gates and examined it. While he was pre-occupied, I took off the clothing I had on before, which was just a basic cloth tunic, matching pants, and leather boots, replacing them with the armor that Gunjar had. It wasn't exactly all too good for armor in a sword fight but it felt better than heavy metal armor. I also took his axe and felt the weight. It was not a particularly well-made axe meant for extensive use but it was sharpened and would work as a killing tool, if needed.

"I can't get in. It looks like we need a key." Ralof said from the door he was examining, looking back at me. I was dressed in Stormcloak armor that was made primarily of reinforced leather but included light chainmail underneath for a bit of added protection. The cuirass also extended below me knees, keeping my body still dressed for battle. I have seen what some women consider armor and I know it wouldn't protect anybody with how much skin they were showing. I also had to put my cloth pants back on, since I still didn't feel comfortable having my legs revealed. Gunjar's boots replaced my horrible foot wraps before and despite them being used and worn by a dead man, the boots felt great compared to what I had before. I really didn't expect the armor to fit me as well as it did since Gunjar was much bigger than I in body but it was like the armor changed itself so it fit me without any issues. I didn't question it but went with it, assuming it was a coincidence.

"Come on, this way!" My ears twitched and Ralof and I both turned towards the wooden gate. Whoever was coming, they didn't sound friendly and both Ralof and I took a spot on either side of the entrance, crouching and ready to surprise the enemy. The sound of the voice was familiar, though. Someone familiar who I had seen just today.

"Maybe these people will have the key. If they are Imperials, kill them." I rolled me eyes at Ralof. He was ordering me around like I was some kind of child going through a training exercise. There were things he didn't know about me, things that would make me much more intimidating than I gave the impression of.

"Let's go, hurry with this gate!" The voice came from a woman and my memory immediately was showing me a mental list of women that I had met today. There was just one that rubbed me the wrong way enough to leave a memory. The Imperial Captain.

When the gate opened and people came through, which were confirmed as just two, my anger boiled. It was indeed the captain and she didn't see myself or Ralof. At least until he decided to start the offensive by going after the soldier that came through the Captain. He distracted the two enough that I was able to get a well-earned preemptive strike on the Captain. I remembered her over the top helm and grabbed the top, pulling it off her head. Before she could look back to see who it was, I had my axe lodged into her neck. Her body became lifeless as I pulled my axe out after seeing it was a fatal blow and let her helm fall on top of her. Ralof had killed the other soldier.

"Well, look at that. I didn't know you could kill so well. See if one of these two have a key on them for the door." I rolled my eyes once again and searched the bodies. I started with the soldier and pulled out a couple of things. First, I replaced my axe with a sword that I was well more experienced in using. I also had gold in my hands. I was ready to pocket it when it just…disappeared into nothing. I backed up a little from my hand and closed it and reopening it. The gold had disappeared.

"What in the hell." I thought about the gold and it suddenly reappeared back in my hands. I was shocked yet again. I don't know what kind of magic was happening here but it seemed like the gold was still usable but it…disappeared into some unknown realm. All I cared is that I had it still. I shook my head and also took a couple more piece of armor from the soldier. I took his bracers and helmet, immediately equipping both. They were Imperial armor but I didn't necessarily care since I wanted some protection. I knew that I wouldn't be able to keep myself safe from arrows or sword strikes but they had some form of protection.

I searched the Captain next and found her full suit of heavy armor that I was not going to grab because I wouldn't wear it and feel comfortable in it. Nor could I fight well in it. I also found the key to the door we were trying to get through. She also had a few gold coins on her that, like the others, disappeared to who knows where.

I returned to the gate Ralof was beside and unlocked it. We made our way down the stairs to another hall. There were two more Imperials down the hall we had come into and both Ralof and I ran to meet them but we didn't get far before the ceiling collapsed, closing our way down the hall.

"Grab what you can carry and let's go." The Imperials could be heard in the room beside us. Ralof and I wasted no time in bursting in the room. The Imperials were on high alert, so getting around by sneaking, which was my preferred style, was not going to happen. There were another two soldiers, one in heavy armor and the other in light leather armor. I immediately went for the more dangerous one, the heavily armored one. He was not fast but he was strong. I was duel-wielding with two Imperial blades I took from the soldier and Captain from the floor above. I parried his swing with one sword and directed it away, leaving him open and shoved my other through his throat. He died instantly and I pulled my blade back out, covered in blood. Ralof had, like before, taken the other soldier and there was nothing left but to see if there was anything useful to take. After looting the bodies for a few gold and replacing my one bloody blade for a clean one, I look around for some provisions. I found a potion and recognized it as a healing potion. While holding it, it randomly disappeared like the gold did. I wasn't expecting it but I didn't pull back like before. Instead, I thought of the potion in my head and it appeared before me in my hand. I was not sure what was happening here, assuming some extreme magic was happening that I didn't know about. I wasn't carrying any bags so that was out of the question of where it could have went and I had no other form of holding items other than my own hands.

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and let's go." Ralof was getting impatient as he saw me staring at my hands. He must have not seen what I did, or at least assumed I had done something myself. I finished searching the room, scavenging a few more potions of restore health, mana, and fatigue. I may have not needed a couple of those, mainly the restore mana or fatigue, but it was also useful to have some in case I was in a tight spot or someone that was with me needed a boost quickly.

The dragon did a number on the ceiling and I was more than happy to be where it had a less of a chance to kill me. Though, if it could destroy a part of a ceiling of a lower floor, there was no telling what other kind of destruction it could do no matter where its intended victim was. Ralof and I continued down the path that was cut off by rubble to a staircase leading down.

"AHH!" A woman's voice was heard in pain in the room that was led into by the stairs. I didn't like it when allies were in pain but females were more of a priority than males, if only by a little. A man's scream was also heard but it was overtaken by the woman's to someone who didn't have animal hearing. A bright light was also coming from the floor below, so there was no telling what was happening from first glance. I sprinted down the hallways, jumping down long flight of stairs in a few jumps. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I saw a particularly new sight. It may have not been new to others but it was to my race. An Imperial was shooting lightning from his hands and shocking a Stormcloak women. They were at the other end of the room and I had to think fast before the woman was killed. I pulled left arm back and threw my weapon towards the torturer. My focus was set on the torturer and I didn't notice that another person was beside the head torturer, using the same magic on another soldier. They seemed to be apprentice and master or something like it. The blade missed the head torturer after he dodged it, seeing the blade out of the corner of his eye, leaving his apprentice wide open. The woman was free from the torturer's lightning because of the distraction but he immediately set his sights on me. The blade continued on though and it hit the apprentice in the shoulder, forcing him to stop as well and freeing the other soldier from the torture as well. It didn't kill him right away but the man that was caught in the apprentice's magic lightning easily retaliated with what little strength he still had and finished off his torturer. The head torturer put his arm out and the same spell he was using before was suddenly used on me.

"AHH!" Being a Khajiit and not very adept with magic in any way other than very simple spells or ones that help us for protection like Oakflesh or that could help us in danger like Detect Life, depending on the profession, is all we knew. We didn't really get trained for any higher magic either. I was not one to care too much about things like that nor did I ever have any offensive magic used against me that was constant. This was a first and it hurt more than I would have thought. Even more, I felt paralyzed out of pain, which explains why neither soldier could move.

"Let her go!" The female Stormcloak came from beside the distracted torturer and gave him a hard swing of her mace into his gut, causing enough internal damage that he was crouched on the floor, blood coming from his mouth. She finished the man off with a hard crushing motion to his skull, no doubt killing him. I was on the ground on my hands and knees, shaky and breathing hard. Ralof and both soldiers came over to help. I waved their help away and stood up carefully, counting on my own strength. I wasn't exactly one to ask others for help unless it was a last resort. The male soldier returned my sword and I grabbed it, sheathing both swords and continuing forward after regaining my composure.

"These Imperials are horrible, Is'Ma, take these lockpicks. You may be able to unlock the cage." Ralof handed me a fair share of lockpicks and left without waiting to see what I was going to do. I wasn't sure if he was trying to be racist to me because I was a Khajiit but I felt like he wasn't, surprisingly. Maybe this Ralof may be a good guy after all and these Stormcloaks may be as well. Since he left without supervising me, I figured I would explore a little to catch my breath as well. I didn't really stop to take a breather since the dragon came and I did have a lot of stamina but I wasn't a Dwemer machine. There indeed was a body locked in the middle cage but the other two were empty. Only the middle one needed unlocked and looted.

Lockpicking was a skill that Khajiit had a knack for and I was not embarrassed to say I have gotten quite good at it. I wasn't perfect but I did have much experience with both low level locks and opened a few higher level locks with success. This one was very simple, though. Ralof handed me a small shiv meant for assistance with lockpicking as well and within a few seconds of playing with the lock, it was unlocked and the cage opened. Inside was a dead mage with a nice set of robes that had a certain shine to them, enough that I couldn't help but strip the man of the robe and leave his dead body in the cage. I wasn't sure how I was going to do carry all the items I may find here but it was answered with a familiar disappearing trick with what I was holding.

"I will never get used to this." I was talking to myself while scouring the floor for what I could find. There was a few gold that left like the robes and just about everything at this point. The last and most unusual thing was a book with an odd marking on the cover. It was not the cover to a normal book but it looked familiar for some reason. I cautiously opened the book to check inside and there was a kind of circle with odd symbols and a larger symbol inside the largest circle. The smaller circles decorated the larger circle's border, as well as faint shining from the circles. I flipped through the pages and they all had the same symbol on one side but the other was blank.

"What in the hell does this even do?" I put my hand on one of the pages and felt a spark. I reflexively took my hand away but it didn't spark again. I put my hand back on the page and the sparking started again. Unlike with the torturer's spell, though, it didn't hurt. I finally pushed my entire hand onto the page and it started glowing, blinding me with a bright light. I closed my eyes but didn't move my hand and when the light died down, the page I was at was clear. I took my hand away, flipping through the pages once again to see that they were all clear.

"Okay, whatever." I dropped the book back in the cell, thinking it was useless and held up my hand.

"So, some sparks came and now wh-" I was cut off by a pillar of lightning came from my hand and connected with the ceiling. My eyes widened and I only stared for a few seconds before closing my palm. The lightning stopped and when I opened it again and focused my memory on the pillar, it came back again. I closed my palm again to end the spell and a wide smile shone on my face.

"Wow, I can summon lightning. This is already getting better. Maybe getting caught wasn't so bad. The other Khajiit will be so jealous." I shot the lightning a few more times in front of me, holding it a little longer than before. On the third try, I held it as long as I could before it just died down to nothing.

"Oh? I guess this must be that mana mages and stuff always talk about. I guess it doesn't last forever." I didn't know how long had gone by until Ralof came back from wherever he came to and spoke to me.

"Is'Ma, come on. We need to leave." Ralof must have been losing his patience but I understood. If I was waiting for someone and they got distracted like this, I wasn't sure if I would be able to wait as long as he did.

"Yeah, be right there." I wasn't one for listening to others but I know he had a point and I was going the same way, so getting out were both of our priorities. He left again and I hurried and checked the last place in the room. It almost like a cage meant for the Imperials but it was probably for their own protection. There were not many things of interest that I needed at the moment. A shield that I wouldn't use and a mace that I wasn't proficient with using, either. There were more lockpicks, though, that I pocketed for myself. These didn't disappear like the others but I also had a place for them on my person. I stashed them all in a pouch that I got from one of the fallen Imperials that they probably used to hold gold or potions. There were also books and I picked them up to take a quick peek but they disappeared like the rest into what I could only assume was a demented section of Oblivion or something. As I passed the cage on the way to the hallways Ralof had went, I seen one last thing. A bag and another book. The book disappeared as I picked it up and the pouch had lockpicks and gold in it.

"Hm, this could be useful." I picked up the knapsack and replaced it with the smaller bag I had before holding my lockpicks. It was a little bit of a pain but I would get used to it. More room to carry things around, if they didn't disappear into Oblivion.

Lining the walls in the hall towards Ralof were more cells that were all but empty and a couple were already open. I couldn't stop myself from checking them, though. I always liked looking for lost or hidden things when I was young and even now. The last cell on the right had a coin purse beside it. My eyes lit up and I quickly took care of the lock and snatched it, pocketing the gold and meeting Ralof, finally. He ended up finding another torture room, as if this place didn't have enough, with hanging cells. These guys must have really liked being cruel.

"Alright, it is about time. Let's get out of here already." Ralof turned and left as he saw me coming. I did a quick vision sweep to see if anything valuable was around but I didn't expect anything. The Imperial torturer would have already taken anything when the victims were alive.

Ralof and I continued along at a quicker pace, snaking through a quite large naturally made cavern into another load of Imperial soldiers. The Stormcloaks we helped free before went in blindly and barely got anywhere out before being picked off by archers. They weren't the best shots but a couple of lucky shots downed our guys quickly. Ralof and I retreated back into the tunnels as we made a plan. It wasn't a very fleshed out plan but it was something. I was faster than Ralof, so I volunteered myself to be a sort of distraction. I assumed my speed was good enough that the archers couldn't kill me. I was sure hoping, at least. I didn't know how well the Imperials trained their archers.

I ran in with my head and body down, making myself a smaller target and made it over the first bridge where I was safe from archers but not the soldiers that reinforced them. They weren't that hard, though. Ralof came in after me for support and the two of us took out the couple of melee fighters while the archers continued to shoot arrows to try and stop us. They missed both Ralof and I as we made our way around using the pillars as cover. It worked up until they had fallen back and there was a large, straight gap between us two and our opponents. I wasn't waiting, though. I had an idea and clued in Ralof quickly about my experience with the magic book. He was not sure how this would work but it was still a better plan than line up and get shot. I sheathed one of my blades and had the lightning ready in the left hand, keeping my right blade out. I strafed out of cover and shot the sparks toward the archers. It struck one, as expected, and he was immobilized. Ralof threw one of his axes, taking the idea from me with my blade before. It wasn't a perfect throw but got lodged into the archer's leg. The Imperial cringed and Ralof quickly made his way forward with the other axe and finished off the Archer. My lightning ran out and the one I had immobilized fell to his knees. Ralof finished him off with a straight axe to his back. I took a quick looting session with the archers, taking one of their bows and quiver, as well as filling it with arrows. I was more proficient with a bow over melee fighting, anyhow.

Ralof and I continued onwards, having a close call of death when the dragon almost crushed us with more falling debris. It must have been horrible on the surface, if anyone was still left alive. Unfortunately, I was not pleased at all when we came across the next cave tunnel. There were large and thick webs on the walls and that could only mean one thing, spiders. I wasn't sure what the spiders of Skyrim were like, though. By the size of the webs, they must have been pretty huge.

My curiosities were answered when we came to where a few large spiders were just sitting. They didn't notice Ralof and I yet, so I thought I would kill the large bugs from far away. I hated spiders a lot but this just made the ones I remember seem like the least scary thing in Tamriel compared to the ones here.

I took careful aim with the longbow I took from the archer at one of the closest ones. They would probably come after Ralof and I after I took one out but that would be one less to give me utter nightmares. I should take a body back to Tamriel and keep as a sort of trophy. It would take a large section of a room, though.

The arrow hit its mark spot on and the spider was dead quickly. Unfortunately, the others did seem to notice us but Ralof went out to cut them down himself. He made quick work of them, to my relief. I stepped down from my secure little hill but kept my bow out. I had felt like something else was here, something worse than these giant spiders.

I was answered, yet again, with two giant spiders bigger than the other spiders. I guess the 'smaller' ones were a child form because these were amazingly huge, standing at a size that was similar to Ralof. I quickly backed up and started shooting arrows like a mad woman but they didn't stop them. Ralof came back to help out but he couldn't exactly get a decent hit on either of the two without risking his own life with the other having a clear hit of him. I decided to muster my courage and go on the offensive as well, assisting him with my blades. I took one and he focused on the other. It seemed to be going well, until it got a clean hit to my face. It wasn't a fatal hit at all; in fact it was very shallow. Still, the spider's strike left a scar on my nose and close to my eye. I took the opportunity to cut the legs that were closest, causing it to start falling to one side. I followed up with cutting the other front legs off as well. It was falling towards me, so I gave my blade a good thrust through its head, killing it. Ralof had taken care of the other as well and we continued onwards through the cave. We had also encountered a bear but Ralof and I managed to sneak past her. I wasn't ready to fight a bear and I was done with fighting at the moment. I was tired and needed some rest but we weren't quiet out of the cave, yet. At least, up until I had finally seen a good sign. There was a crevice in the rocks past the bear and there was snow, which most likely meant it led to the outside. If not, then I would probably go crazy.

Squeezing through the crevice wasn't too hard for me and my small, Khajiit figure but Ralof had a slight harder time. I was too excited to see the outside to care about our troubles now, though.

"Finally, we made it." Ralof walked ahead of me as I simply relished in the sunlight. I was in the cave for too long. Ralof mentioned a sister of his, Gerdur, that may be able to help me get settled and figure out what is happening. Then he mentioned about us splitting up instead of staying together but I naturally followed him. I didn't know where I was, who this woman I was looking for looked like, or any information on the wildlife. I wasn't going to leave Ralof until I was a little more prepared, so I followed him instead of leaving.


	3. Chapter 3

"What are you going to do, Khajiit?" Ralof had only walked a few steps ahead and turned to face me. I was still thinking about what would be best course of action when a familiar roar came overhead. Ralof ducked beside a rock. I back-stepped so I was waiting just inside the cave I had just come out of.

"I don't think we want to grab the dragon's attention after what had just happened. It would eat us alive." Ralof cautiously pushed himself vertical again. I was still waiting in the cave with my fur visibly on edge. My ears were flattened to my hair and I was bearing my teeth, looking the same way as the dragon went. I didn't know if it had any idea of coming back or if it was truly gone.

"So, Khajiit, what are your plans? I wouldn't mind company for the walk but I understand if you leave to go your own way." Ralof had a hand on his sheathed sword and I finally walked from the cave, my hands resting on my hips. I had to think of what would be best for safety at the moment. I didn't have any real goals, seeing as I was alone when I was caught and I didn't have anywhere else to be or anyone to see.

"I will follow you, for now." My eyes were still narrowed but I wasn't directly looking at Ralof. I was watching what was around me, keeping my ears opened.

"Alright, then let's get going. It is a hike down the hill but it shouldn't take too long." Ralof started walking down the road leading away from the cave. Unlike inside, the nature outside was like the calm after a storm. No spiders or soldiers that were aggressive against everything that moved.

"What do you think happened to all the soldiers that went up against the dragon?" I kept a hand on the handle of my sword as well as another to grab at whatever was coming or using a spell. I only knew one and I didn't even think there was a way to remember more than a couple unless they were written down or something for me to reference after I learned them.

"Who knows. I would only assume that since the dragon had left Helgen, he was done with fighting whoever was left. I unfortunately have to assume that no one, whether it is a noble Stormcloak or a cowardly Imperial, would be able to handle a dragon no matter the numbers. I truly hope that Ulfric made it out safe, though I can safely assume he made it out no problem." It was safe to assume that Helgen had been turned into a graveyard like Ralof had assumed but there was no telling if anyone made it out safely. No matter the skill or power, a dragon was basically the highest power put into the form of an animal.

"What makes you so confident that Ulfric was able to leave?" I couldn't stop myself from asking, even though it did sound a little disrespectful with my tone of voice. I had almost completely forgotten about anyone other than myself, Ralof, and a few soldiers I had met in the complex below Helgen Keep.

"He has the power of the Voice. He is stronger than any mortal man. All I know is if has met his demise, I will honor him until I meet him in Sovngarde to fight by his side once again." I couldn't tell still what this 'Voice' power was but it seemed like whatever kind of power it had behind it, nothing could rival it. This probably wasn't true but who knew other than Ulfric himself.

"Right." The nature surrounding the path Ralof and I were walking on was unusually quiet, at least compared to what happened. There probably wasn't anything other than hunting game when it came to forests, especially nothing as cruel as a dragon, but it's not like there was no danger. The path took a turn here and there, turning left almost immediately left from the exit to the cave and gave a pretty scene of the countryside but it was a welcomed change to the damp cave. It had its share of awesome sights, though I didn't really pay too much attention while I was getting out for safety.

There was a forest bordering the path but it seemed a little small compared to ones in other places. It could be the colder climate of Skyrim or just that it was close to a mountainous region but it still had a large amount of trees as well as plants on the ground.

"You should go to Windhelm and join the fight to free Skyrim. You've seen the true face of the Empire here today. If anyone knows what the coming of the dragons mean, it is Ulfric." I barely caught the beginning of Ralof's sentence but he had a point. I wasn't exactly ready to commit myself to one side or another straight out of the gate but from what the Empire almost did to me, it seemed like they were unfair and cruel. Though, Ralof was biased for sure about which side he was on. Ralof was on the side of the Stormcloaks and the Empire had wronged the people of his side. I couldn't jump into being with one just because of one act. I had to see what the other was like before I committed myself to one side.

"I'll think about it." I had to answer Ralof, despite him probably not looking for a response from me. A few more steps down the road and I noticed a wooden pole sticking from the ground. It had wooden arrows with names of towns pointing in their directions: Helgen, Riverwood, and Falkreath. I didn't know where the path to Falkreath led, also not knowing what the town or city was, so I didn't even think of not going that way but it was pointing to where Helgen was, now being a pile of rubble. Riverwood was where Ralof and I were heading but Ralof didn't even glance at the arrows. I guess he already had a very good layout of the land, expected from someone who had been in Skyrim as long as he was. Compared to him, I was just a tourist.

I looked at the signpost one last time and barely noticed that there was an unused path to the left, or at least one that wasn't marked. Ralof and I went right instead, taking a quick turn left that just led down a light hill. In front of us was an odd placement of decoration: Three stones that looked like they were almost crafted and set in the ground by a person.

"These are the Guardian Stones, three of the thirteen ancient standing stones that dot Skyrim's landscape. Go ahead, see for yourself." I guess I had my questions answered by Ralof. There were ten others all around Skyrim and given how big Skyrim was, that meant that they would not be easy to find but would be pretty neat to see them all. I stepped onto the platform the three stones were circled on and looked at the three carved pictures below the rings. There was a warrior, a mage, and the other was probably a thief. The stones looked to have been made by someone as the carvings couldn't' have been done by nature, as well as the metal rings near the top. They went completely around the stone and bordered the hole that impaled the stone directly. I was most drawn to the one that had the thief on it and touched the surface.

"The thief, eh? It's never too late to make a change, you know." I was right, it was the thief but I withdrew my hand when the hole, as well as all the carved sections, shone a bright blue. There was also a beam of blue light that went into the sky. The picture of the thief had lines and dots on it instead of its normal carving. I already knew what that was. It was the constellation of the thief. This may have been some type of blessed stone but I doubted that, at least a little.

"I don't need to change anything in my life." The blue that appeared on the stone disappeared after a minute to leave the stone in its normal, undisturbed self again. I followed Ralof once again, keeping a little bit of distance. I wasn't a thief by trade but I couldn't honestly say I led the most honorable of lives.

The path now bordered a river and was generally straight other than a few small left and right banks to mirror the river. Along the way, the linear path had a turn to something on the right. I couldn't tell from just sight where it led but it surely wasn't where I had any intention of going at the moment.

Ralof and I had made it to Riverwood finally and it was, surprisingly, peaceful. I assumed that the dragon hadn't done any damage to anywhere but Helgen since it would show along and the way and it would have attacked a small place like Riverwood as well. It didn't seem too protected.

"Wow, how odd that this is completely undisturbed. Selective dragon." Ralof mentioned something about his sister running the nearby lumber mill that was right beside the south entrance, as I talked to myself and observed the small town. I didn't look too much and followed Ralof over the near bridge and around the actual mill itself to what looked like a pier just off the side that was just above the river. Probably for fishing or something of the like.

"Gerdur!" There was a woman working at a table just in front of Ralof and I that could only be assumed to be Gerdur. She, as expected, was a Nord and shared a few physical traits with her brother. She didn't have muscles like Ralof but she had a commanding stance like the other Nords. She also had quite solid features that made her seem like she would be a strong fighter, especially since she was in charge of the lumber mill, I could only assume. She had blonde hair, a strand braided on either side that reached to her neck but didn't look like it went farther. She was not much taller than me, only by an inch or so. She had close to pale skin, which seemed common among the Nord race.

She paid little attention to me as she and Ralof exchanged a few words. She did ask who I was, though, assuming I was a comrade of Ralof's. I was surprised when didn't call me that but instead labeled me as a friend. I was a tad surprised as he continued by telling Gerdur that I had saved his life. I didn't think I did that much but it seemed like Ralof had thought highly of me helping him out of Helgen. Gerdur didn't seem to know anything about Helgen since she was surprised about hearing Ralof start to talk about the subject. She led Ralof to a secluded chunk of land behind the lumber mill. Gerdur had also called to someone named Hod but I didn't look to see who that was. His voice was, as expected, Nordic as well. It seemed like Nords were a plentiful race in Skyrim.

After a diversion with a boy named Frodnar, Hod came to greet Ralof and I. Ralof then started with telling the two about how he had gotten into the predicament with the Imperials to start with. My story wouldn't have been as informative, as I was simply walking to get back to Tamriel. While Ralof explained what had happened, including our run in with the dragon. Gerdur, as I had expected, didn't think it was true but she was quick to believe Ralof.

After her talk with Ralof about what had happened earlier, Gerdur gave me a key to her house. Supposedly, I was more than welcome to use their house for the time being. I wasn't going to argue and took the key, which disappeared like the other things but I was used to it. I still didn't know why that happened or where they went but I did want to figure out. Now that I thought about it, I had forgotten a couple of things that I may have picked up. I just remembered my gold and lockpicks were in the void of nowhere but I knew there was more than that.

"By the way, I was told to give a book to you. A Breton came by earlier today and said that if a female Khajiit came to this town, I was to give it to you. He also mentioned a name. Would you be Is'Ma?" It was an odd question to ask but I nodded without saying a word. I wasn't exactly ready to open up to anyone, despite them acting like I was just another member of the family.

"Good. The book you are looking for is in my home, on one of the end tables. It shouldn't be too hard to find, especially since the pages were blank to me. I don't know if it will be the same to you, but I think you can find it. By the way, there is something you can do for us here. The Jarl needs to know if there is a dragon on the loose. It will surely be headed for Whiterun next." It seemed a little odd that Gerdur would believe me on anything. For all she knew, I could have brought Ralof here and could be a plan by the Imperials. I wouldn't do anything like that, especially since they were ready to behead me before this, but she would still go with whatever I said. She must trust me quite a lot from what Ralof had said.

"Come with me. I will show you to the house and give you a key when we arrive." Hod spoke to me and gestured back into the main road through town. I followed him, keeping a bit of distance while getting myself familiar with wherever this was. I wasn't ready to leave right away to this Whiterun, not that I had any idea where it was at the moment, so it would be still be a day before I continued on my way out of Riverwood. I didn't even notice until now that the time was just reaching the start of night. I didn't pay much attention while running but Ralof and I must have been in the cave for quite a while. Not surprising, even at the pace we had gone. When I was caught and put onto cart, it was getting late in the afternoon anyhow.

"So, what was it like? It doesn't seem like you talk that much but I am curious. What was it like being close so close to a dragon?" It seemed like Hod wanted to engage conversation. I wasn't too much against it, not that I was too against telling about my experience to someone else.

"It was terrifying. Especially since I had a lot of times that I had almost died but other than that, it was really an exciting experience." I looked around at the environment in Riverwood. It truly wasn't big and had no more than probably a half a dozen houses with not too much residents. It was logical to assume a large building near an arch that was over the main road opposite from where I had come in was the Inn. I couldn't see where the trader was but there were only a couple of other signs hanging around. I would have to explore the small town a little after I had slept. No one was out and about either, not surprising given the time and no one here knew about the dragon for sure. It didn't seem to have come close enough to cause any sort of chaos or fear.

Hod had taken me down the road leading directly away from the lumber mill, off of the main road, to the last house. Hod handed me a key and it disappeared into the void. This was a common occurrence at this point but I still didn't know where the things had gone.

"Home sweet home." Hod entered their residence first. The house had barrels scattered about and cloth sacks as well. A table was to the left of the entrance and there was a fireplace directly across from the entrance. To the left were a bed, dresser, and an end table. Another bed and two end tables were stuffed into a small space that jutted from the left of the house.

"This is where you will be sleeping at." Hod had gestured to the bed that was to the left with the two end tables. There was also the book on one of the end tables.

"I would rather sleep at the Inn. I would feel a little more comfortable." I wasn't going to sleep at a stranger's home, no matter how inviting they were.

"Okay, if that is what you want. Tell them the next couple of days are on me and Gerdur. They should have no problems. You can still keep things here, though." Hod didn't seem disappointed about my decision, which was a relief.

"Okay." Hod left the house and I was the only one in it at this point. If I was to give in to my normal tendencies, I would have taken the most precious and expensive items and leaving. I wasn't ready to start that way since it didn't seem like I was going to leave anytime soon. I went to see the book Gerdur was talking about from the Breton that asked specifically for me. I was ready for anything and cautiously picked up the battered red book. It had odd markings on the cover that I couldn't read. It looked like nothing but scratches and dots but someone may have known what it read. I would have to look into it. I wasn't going to look inside right away, instead wanting to get some rest. I was not ready for any more excitement and just wanted to rest my head. I did take the book and left the house with everything still in place, heading to the Inn that I saw before. I was hoping that Hod wasn't lying about having the room already taken care of since I didn't have that much money, or knew how much I had in general. It was still in the void somewhere, like a lot of other items I had picked up. I was still hoping for some way to have them taken out.

It was now dark and I could feel myself slowing down. Despite me usually traveling and working by the night, I normally didn't have scenarios with dragons and soldiers both trying to get my head for themselves.

"So, where is that Inn?" I spoke to myself out loud, seeing that Ralof and the others were coming back from the lumber mill. I wasn't in their house that long but they must have cleared up everything they had to. We passed each other after a few seconds without words, just looks and nods.

At the crossroads towards Helgen and the other road out, The Inn was just to my right, easily accessed off the main road.

"Sleeping Giant Inn, hm? Must be the place." I kept the book in my hand, pretty surprised on the fact that it didn't disappear. I remember having one other book back in the keep disappearing after I had picked it up. I would have to figure out more about what was going on tomorrow morning, then see where I was to head after this. I made sure to remember what Gerdur had asked me to do. She wanted me to go to a place called Whiterun and warn their Jarl about the dragon. I would have to figure out what a Jarl was and where this Whiterun place was before I left.

The inside of the Inn was rather nice and very comfy. There was a large rectangle of fire cooking food that was skewered above, as well as a pot. Along the two longer walls were tables, enough to fit an entire guild. It didn't seem like this place had that much business but it probably was already set up that way. One other noticeable aspect was a bard playing some song I didn't know and that I wasn't paying too much attention to, either.

I started walking towards the counter that had a man leaning on the counter. While walking towards him, a woman came from a nearby room to the right of the counter and started talking to the man about something relating to the Inn. I overheard their names while they talked but I was not sure if I was going to be able to remember all the names I heard. I would be able to remember Ralof because he was the first person I had met in Skyrim other than a passing glance and we had been together for a little while. I continued to speak to the man leaning on the counter.

"Welcome to the Sleeping Giant Inn. What would you like?" The man didn't seem very enthusiastic about having to do what he was doing, looking rather annoyed.

"I would like a room. I was told it would be covered by Gerdur and Hod." I spoke with no hesitation, keeping my stature tall and solid as well. I never was one to make myself look weak or fragile, despite my race not being as bulky as others, like Nords or Orcs.

"Ah, so you are the one. We don't see many Khajiit around here that will walk in with such a commanding demeanor about them. You will be different than the others that come around. You are Is'Ma, correct?" The man pushed himself to standing and reached under the counter, feeling around for something. I didn't take this as a threat but kept my eyes on both the man's face as well as his hand movements.

"That is correct. You would be…Orgnar, if I heard correctly." I gripped the book in my hand a little tighter.

"You must have overheard Delphine and I. That is correct. Come with me and I will show you to your room. You have a few days here but will have to start paying after that. We can only do so much for Gerdur and Hod but we are happy to help." Orgnar brought a key out from underneath the counter and came from behind the counter, moving to the second door on the left from the counter. There were two doors beside each other, most likely both rooms, as well as one other to the right where Delphine came from.

"This will be your room for the next few days. Like I said, it will be here for you but not forever." Orgnar informed me as he unlocked the door and pushed it open for me.

"I understand." Orgnar got back to his position behind the counter and looked around for something else to do while waiting. The room was very well laid out and had the basic amenities. I didn't have anything but my book on me at the moment but had no intentions of reading it or seeing exactly what it was. I was too tired and had a very good opportunity to sleep. My body moved itself at this point and I had no objections on what it was doing. The book was put on the table beside the bed and I fell onto the bed, not bothering to even cover myself up. It only took a few seconds and I was out, the fatigue catching up with me.


	4. Chapter 4

The next day came, or what I could assume was the next day, and I finally squinted rather than open my eyes. I wasn't ready to be blinded the second I got up. I didn't move from the position I fell in, which was a little uncomfortable from the stiffness I was feeling right now. The rest itself was more refreshing than any potion I could take but I wasn't thinking about the next day when I had fell.

I groaned and moved my arms above my head, keeping them rested on the bed still. When they had sufficient feeling back, I pushed myself sideways so I was on my back. This bed wasn't as comfortable as I had originally thought but it would work for a couple days until I could afford something better. I should have a fair share saved up by then, especially since I would not have to carry them and they were put into the Void.

I waited a few moments before pushing myself into a sitting position on the bed. I stretched one last time and looked around myself at my surroundings in a little more detail. The room I was renting out for a few days was rather nice for being in a place as small as Riverwood. From what I had seen last night while barely awake, there seemed to be a little more than a dozen residents. This was probably a tourist sight more than anything. If Gerdur sent me to somewhere else, it must have been bigger and probably was a keep, given how I was also supposed to go directly to the 'Jarl'.

My eyes averted to the book that I had picked up from Gerdur's home last night: A red book with odd markings on the cover. Probably someone else who had more knowledge of Skyrim than I would be able to fill me in with the cover or the contents, if they were also cryptic. It would be even easier if I could find the Breton himself who directed the book be given directly to me, as he would know more than anyone in Skyrim.

Curiosity would get the better of me quickly but I wasn't quite ready to get settled in and waste another day, especially since I felt a tad gross. Being in a cave for as long as I was and not bothering to clean myself when I got out, not to mention the time before hand when I was captured and carted away, left me more disgusted with myself more than I had felt for a long time. I got onto my feet and left my room, not saying a word but glancing at Orgnar, who was awake despite not doing a thing just like last night. The bard was also back again, singing to no one in particular. It was looking a little odd for him to be practicing singing whenever no one but me had come in for a night. He glanced at me as well but I quickened my pace and left the Inn.

I was met with the sun high in the sky, so it was pretty late in the day. I would have to start my day tomorrow early for wherever I was going. Maybe I would end up finding Gerdur later in the day after getting myself cleaned up. I had to stop by the house, though, and borrow some of her clothes. I wouldn't be surprised if her clothes were too big for my small body, though.

When I had entered Gerdur's residence, it was absent of any people. This family of Ralof's kept pressuring me to act natural in this situation of thievery but I knew it would be bad manners with what they had done for me so far. I went into the space where the second bed was and opened the wardrobe. It was strangely empty with only a few different outfits, all that looked to be like common clothes of different colors but most had tan sleeves and a brown chest piece. They surprisingly didn't look as big as I thought they were, my vision of Gerdur from last night clouded because of fatigue and lack of sleep. I closed the wardrobe, curios on what other clothing Gerdur had laying around. I found a pair of boots and some gloves in another dresser and took a pair of each, setting them on the table by the door for when I leave. I wasn't sure what else would have clothing since the rest of the furniture seemed like they would house dishes or tools. I looked through the rest of the cupboards and end tables and found something that seemed like it would be more my thing than common clothing, at the moment. It was a black robe that covered my chest completely, which was rare from the kinds of clothing other women was wearing, as well as reaching all the way down to my feet. I hated showing off my own body so the robe would be the best fit at the moment. I found a couple more of the same robes but just made a note of where they were for later, in case I needed them. I grabbed my new outfit and left Gerdur's home, going back towards the Inn and lumber mill. I wasn't sure where I was going to get cleaned up at since it was either in a river by the safe town or in a river in a private but possibly dangerous wilderness. I figured I could stay close but not close enough to be seen. I went out using the path Ralof and I had entered from the day before, glancing to see Ralof, Gerdur, and Hod working at the lumber mill. I also couldn't help but notice a Bosmer working at the lumber mill as well but he seemed a tad distracted. I wasn't ready to talk to anyone until after I felt better. I left Riverwood and walked a couple of minutes up the road, enjoying the scenery, to where the water was falling down the rocks, making a tiny waterfall but it would work as a washing place for a few days.

After a long and refreshing but very cold bath, I took a quick look around to make sure no one was around and left the water to put on my new clothes. It felt really good to be clean and the cold water woke me up even more, keeping me very alert. I had originally thought the robes would be too big for my body but it was like the clothing changed to fit my body. I couldn't explain it, especially since my tail fit in a hole on the backside of the clothing no problem, which I could have sworn wasn't originally there. Either way, I didn't argue and finished putting on my new clothing. The armor I was wearing before disappeared when I had removed them and I didn't even bother to question it anymore. I would ultimately figure out what was happening but even if I didn't, it wouldn't matter much since I had an odd feeling that enchanted book I was given by the Breton had something to do with what was happening. The weapons I was using as well, which I had almost completely forgotten about, disappeared while I was sleeping. I remembered falling onto the bed with all my arrows and other weaponry but when I had gotten up, they were gone as well. I had assumed they went to the Void with everything else but it was odd that something I might have needed disappeared without me even wanting them to. Then again, the armor I was wearing before disappeared as well without me wanting them to.

I re-entered Riverwood refreshed and feeling much better than the day before. I didn't notice it the night before but just when one enters Riverwood, directly across from the lumber mill is a trader. I would have to visit them later and see what I could get and such. I wasn't going to stay in the safety of a town all the time, after all. Granted I didn't have anything to work towards at the moment in Skyrim but I could at least try to make the most of it. Maybe I could find my way back to Elsweyr as well and come back with riches or make a living in Skyrim with a spouse. There was still a lot of time to think about that, though. At the moment, I needed to figure out what in Oblivion I was doing here and what was going in my current situation. Other than escaping a dragon, getting captured, and getting a magic book, there wasn't much else going on. I escaped the dragon and got out of being executed, so that left the book. Now that I was rested up and alert, though, I wanted to get some answers from Gerdur and maybe Ralof on some things. I hoped they wouldn't mind taking some time off from the lumber mill to help me figure out what was going on and where I needed to go. The book could wait until the night and when I wouldn't be wasting perfectly good daytime. I decided to go to Hod first, since he was the one I had talked to the most at this point and he didn't seem like the type to pry, my type of conversationalist. When I approached him and before I could get a word out, he started with his own question.

"So you saw a dragon, did you? Tell me, what was it like? As big as a house?" He sounded excited when he asked it but it made sense, since I doubt dragons were around too much. I remembered something I read from books that the blades also killed dragons. I didn't quite believe it myself but there must have been some truth in it.

"I really don't want to talk about it." I wasn't quite ready to describe my near fatal experience one day after having it. Maybe after a day or two I would but not right now.

"Sure, sure. It's just, you know, not every day I meet someone who has laid eyes on a dragon." With that, Hod turned and continued working. I wasn't quite ready to stop talking, surprisingly. I wasn't much of a social butterfly but I did want to know some things about Skyrim if I was going to be here for a little while.

"What do you think about this war?" This was all I really bothered to remember from the walk down here with Ralof, along with the Ulfric guy but I doubted he was important compared to a war being waged.

"I've got enough to worry about, taking care of my family. I don't concern myself with such matters." He didn't make eye contact with me and kept his eyes on his work, which I took as kind of a disrespectful thing to do. He stopped to ask me something but whenever I asked something, he decided to not even look at me. I knew where he was coming from, though. If it had nothing to do personally to a person, they shouldn't bother to push themselves onto the subject. Gerdur should be able to give me more details of what was going on, though, since she seemed to be a lot more helpful and resourceful. Gerdur wasn't too far away from Hod, doing more of a finishing and paper work. I took a quick jump down the back onto the log pile and behind Gerdur. She turned and tilted her head. There was one thing I needed to know first, concerning the request she asked of me.

"How do I get to Whiterun from here?" I would have to figure out how to remember this, unless it was close enough that I wouldn't have to worry about remembering too much.

"Cross the river and then head north. You'll see Whiterun on its hill as you pass the falls." Ok, so it was close. That is good to know.

"What can you tell me about the Jarl?" I still didn't know exactly what a Jarl was but I had a good idea.

"Jarl Balgruuf? I don't mean to be disrespectful, as he's ruled Whiterun Hold well for years, but he seems in over his head now. He's been trying to stay out of the war, but it can't last. He's going to have to pick a side. I'm afraid he's going to make the wrong choice." So Jarl's must have ruled over the holds. I would have a problem keeping people's names, I knew it already.

"Why? Is he loyal to the Empire?"

"I wouldn't say that. But he and Ulfric have been at odds for years, and I'm afraid Balgruuf will end up siding with the Empire because of it. But it's hard to believe that Balgruuf will choose Elisif over Ulfric." Ulfric was the commander of the Stormcloaks but I didn't recognize the Elisif person.

"Who's Elisif?"

I suppose she's Jarl Elisif now. She married High King Torygg just before Ulfric killed him. The Empire supports her claim to be High Queen. I don't really have anything against her- not her fault that her husband Torygg was bought and paid for the Empire. But she is nothing but a puppet for the Empire now, with her husband dead. Ulfric will make sure she never takes the throne as High King." Here comes the High King thing again. I didn't really know much of anything about this place at all and I sure as hell showed it.

"So there's no High King now?" If Jarl's were rulers of the smaller holds then I would assume the High King must have been the equivalent of someone like the Septim bloodline, who ruled over all of Tamriel.

"No, not until the Moot meets to choose another. And it won't meet until one side or another wins the war. Don't worry, though. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He'll drive out the Empire and Skyrim will have peace at last." It was pretty obvious where Gerdur stood in the war. She was on the same side as Ralof, just as excited as well.

"So, did Ulfric kill the High King?" I remember an Imperial getting in Ulfric's face about killing the High King, something about an unfair fight or something. I only remember a few small details at the moment.

"Some say murdered, but it was a lawful challenge in the old way. Ulfric called him out as a traitor to Skyrim, and killed him in single combat. If Torygg couldn't defend his throne, he had no business being High King." I was believing Gerdur on this, since she wasn't threatening me or getting ready to push an axe through the throat.

"What do you think about the war?" She may have thought the same about her husband but she probably thought more of a way Ralof did. Anybody would be able to tell they were related at this point.

"The Empire may have been good for Skyrim once upon a time, but those days are long past. Banning the worship of Talos was the last straw. Thalmor everywhere, dragging people off for honoring our own gods. I'm glad Ralof is helping drive them out of here. If I was a bit younger, I might have joined the fight myself." As I had expected, she would follow Ralof. She didn't seem that old but probably having a family kept her here as well. Though she tried to pull it off as wanting to run off to war, I doubt she would without Hod talking her out of it.

"What can you tell me about Riverwood?" If I was going to be here for a couple of days, I was going to see if there was something I missed while glancing around.

"It's my mill. Some folks thinks it's my town, too but it ain't. The Jarl in Whiterun owns the land and the town. I just pay the taxes." The Jarl's land must have stretched over quite a large area.

"Is there somewhere I can buy fresh supplies?" I could assume there was a trader's store, since most places would have one even if it was small.

"And by "supplies" I suppose you mean weapons and armor. Alvor can help you out. He's our blacksmith."

"What about a general store?"

"You would be looking for the Riverwood Trader, then. They are beside the Inn, like everything. This isn't the biggest town, if you haven't noticed at this point."

"It was pretty easy to see." I turned and left Gerdur, letting her get back to whatever it was she was doing. I wanted to have a quick talk with Ralof before I ended my questions for the day but it would be easier to see where everything was since that would be on the way to Gerdur's home. Ralof would most likely be there, still resting up.

The Riverwood Trader was where Gerdur had said, as well as what I would assume was the blacksmith across from it. There was a man, most likely Alvor, working at the set-up beside his home, so there was no doubt. If I were to get anything for my first trip around Skyrim, it would have to be from him. Other than that, it was homes though there were only a few homes. This was more of a rest stop than an actual settlement for living.

"Ralof can wait. He shouldn't be out and about for a couple of days, at least. He must have gotten some wounds. I wonder why mine healed so quickly, other than this." I rubbed the bridge of my nose, feeling the wound that I had acquired while escaping Helgen. It would be a battle-scar, I guess.

The Riverwood Trader was marked with a hanging sign that I surprisingly didn't notice at first. Other than the Inn, though, none others had signs. I got close to the door and had my hand against it when I heard a disturbance coming from inside. It was an argument between two people, if not more, from inside the place. Something about a thief but it was too muffled to hear anything else. I slowly opened the door as not to disturb them and they both looked my way then I took my first stop in the place. There was a woman and a man having the argument and I felt a tad embarrassed at being stared at by the two.

"I'm sorry for the disturbance. Come in, see what we have for sale. Lucan Valerius is my name, by the way." The woman walked away as Lucan welcomed me inside. He must be a good, or desperate, salesman if he was still selling after being robbed. I walked in and took a quick look around, seeing that there was still a lot on the shelves for sale. I wonder what this thief took that he felt okay with leaving potions and expensive weapons still in their places.

"What was that argument about? Get robbed recently?" Lucan nervously shuffled his hands and sighed.

"Yes, we were. The thief didn't take anything except my Golden Claw. He went to Bleak Falls Barrows but that is dangerous, so I wasn't planning on going to get it back." Well, this could be promising to me. I wasn't really that good of a fighter but I could sure steal stuff well and stealing from a thief sounded like a great challenge. It had to be worth the gold, though.

"I think I may be able to help you with that. What is in it for me if I come back with it?" Lucan looked over my shoulder and back to me.

"I will give you my profit from my latest shipment if you can bring it back to me." I smiled and nodded, wondering how much I would get but not wanting to push it. Maybe I could haggle when I prove I have it.

"She will need a guide if she is to find out how to get to Bleak Falls Barrow." I turned and Lucan looked over my shoulder again. The woman from before spoke up, now on her feet and heading for the door.

"I…You…Fine but ONLY take her to the bridge and no farther!" The woman rolled her eyes and gestured for me to follow. I wouldn't go right away but it would be nice to have an idea of where I was going when I actually left for it. This could be something to do before I left for Whiterun, or after most likely. It would be good to have a way to hold my things set up before-hand but something to do afterwards as well. I willingly followed the woman and I could hear Lucan getting a tad nervous by his sighing.

The woman and I left the trader, going towards where Gerdur told me to start out for Whiterun. Maybe I would have to find a way to get a map of some type before I went too far away from where I knew my surroundings.

"The thief only took one thing, the claw. I don't know why that was it. No matter how small this place is, we do get something good every now and then." The woman continued walking, glancing over her shoulder at me.

"What kinds of stuff do you have? I heard there was a blacksmith as well, so does that mean you have everything else?"

"Some things. We aren't exactly the most thriving of communities here but we get along with the ones that pass by, not to mention the jump for weapons, wood, and potions. It is a little better than normal. My name is Camilla Valerius, by the way." We were just walking past the Inn, getting to the north exit quickly.

"You don't say. How dangerous is this Bleak Falls Barrow?" Camilla and I left Riverwood, stopping at the bridge just outside Riverwood. Camilla turned to face me.

"You don't know about the Falls? They are probably taken over by bandits, more than likely. Other than that, I am not sure. No one goes up there to scout since it doesn't really involve us too much." Camilla pointed towards Bleak Falls Barrow.

"I assume there is a clear way up?" The path split left and right. Gerdur, if I remembered correctly, said to turn right here and it will be viewable by the time I reach the bottom of the path. It was a start, at least.

"Yeah, just take the left and you should reach it after a few turns. You should also see it, so going up the mountain another way will work but a path is already made here. You don't have any weapons, though, I just noticed. How will you be able to survive anything without weapons?"

"Yeah, I know. I head weapons before but…I will get them back before I go, of course." I looked up in the sky and it was getting dark again. I woke up later in the afternoon and it wouldn't be long till I had to retire again for tomorrow.

"If you say so. Just don't get yourself hurt or else I will feel guilty. Let's go back." Camilla walked past me when I was distracted, towards Riverwood. I wasn't quite ready to go back, a tad excited about having a way of getting money as well as possible other goodies.

A few minutes later and I were back at Riverwood, in Gerdur's house and talking to Ralof. He was the last person I had to talk to and try get some information out of before I planned anything. It wasn't easy to get pushed into having to make a potential living in a place one had just come to. The first thing that came to mind with Ralof was the incident with the dragon, as well as trying to get some light on the subject.

"Was that dragon on your side?" Unlikely because it still tried to kill us but anything was possible.

"What? Oh, hardly! I don't even think Ulfric can pull a dragon out of his pocket. Lucky for us it attacked when it did, eh? I wasn't looking forward to getting a shave from the Imperial Headsman." Understatement of the year. A shave would have been bad for me, still. I had quite a lot of fur that could be shaved off.

"Why were you being executed?" I knew why I was there but not Ralof, or anyone else for that matter. The horse thief died before the dragon came. Guy might have lived if he had just dealt with what happened.

"Seriously, you don't know? That was Ulfric Stormcloak himself!" Still being left in the dark. I came to Ralof to figure out what was so special about this guy. Gerdur summed him up as some hold leader but that was it.

"I don't pay much attention to current events." Not that I was here for long enough to care about what happened before today.

"Oh, right. They said you were captured crossing the border. Still, I'm surprised you haven't heard of Ulfric. He is our leader- leader of the Stormcloaks." So he is a leader of a hold as well as some cult leader, or some organization. One answer just brings up more questions, though.

"What are the Stormcloaks?"

"Surely even down in Cyrodiil people have heard news of the war in Skyrim. The Nords are tired of spending our blood fighting the Empire's wars, and paying for the Empires decadence with our taxes. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He's leading the fight to drive the Empire out of Skyrim, once and for all." Ralof really had high hopes for this guy. I assume he was wasn't some magical being with the power of a dragon and still human, which made it seem odd that he would be so special as to wear the title of High King so leisurely.

"How did you end up as Imperial prisoners?"

"I was assigned to Ulfric's guard. We were on our way to Darkwater Crossing, in the south of Eastmarch. The Imperials were waiting for us. As pretty an ambush as I ever saw. We were outnumbered, five to one at least. Ulfric ordered us to stop fighting. Didn't want us to die for nothing, I guess. I thought they were taking us south to Cyrodiil. Parade us in front of the Emperor. But then we stopped in Helgen, and you know the rest." Maybe they would enjoy that, since the true and honest Septim line ended with Martin. There was no telling how Titus Mede II would react to this, though.

"You seem very loyal to Ulfric. I can't say I would be the same but I may decide to join you, if I stay that long." I turned to leave, while listening to Ralof as I walked.

"You have seen what the Empire can do, will do. If you want to join Ulfric, go to Windhelm. You will find Ulfric there. We could use someone like you, especially if you do decide to stay." I left the house without giving any response, going back to the Inn. The sun was just showing itself behind Bleak Falls Barrow, which looked rather beautiful at this time, a good way to distract my head.

Back at the Inn, I still had the book waiting on the end table. I had to look at it before the day was over so I could see about starting on my adventure tomorrow. I still had to decide what I had to do and wanted to do but I would choose that once I had a way to remember those to start with. The Inn was eerily silent, even the bard happened to be gone today. Other than Orgnar waiting at the table and myself, it was empty like the day before. I made sure to get comfortable on the bed, leaning against the wall and pulling the book onto my lap. The cover still had undecipherable markings but that wouldn't tell me anything. It looked like a bear got to the book but just kept itself to the covers.

Inside the book seemed plainer than the cover, though. At first glance, every page was blank as well as unmarked without defects or writing.

"What in oblivion…is this supposed to be?" I continued flipping page by page, trying to notice any marks but it was perfectly clear. I eventually ended on the first page again but it was different this time over. The first page had one word near the top. It said 'Items'. My finger brushed the word and it had no texture except a feeling like the paper was still clean. When my finger left the paper, the pages flipped themselves to the next page. On it was a bunch of different names of things that sounded awfully familiar. Two that I recognized almost immediately were a robe and a hood. If I remembered a few things I got from the trip from my execution to this bed last night, it was a set of items that probably sold for quite a fair share of gold.

"Well, isn't this interesting. What else is here…" The list continued and was organized depending on what the items were. Books, clothing, potions, and other things. A few I recognized from last night because they sounded like they would be worth something or would be of some use to me personally. A few others were healing potions as well as the Imperial Leather Armor that I had equipped until not very long ago. 

"I wonder if there is a way to bring these back." My finger once again brushed over the items names and like the word from before, there was no indentation or bumps. It was as flat as a normal piece of paper. The way the items names were written down, it looked like someone had gotten their hands on the book and recorded the items themselves but that couldn't have happened. The book hadn't moved from its original position, not even a slight movement and no one could put it back exactly where it was. I moved my wandering finger to something simple. The longbow I had used before was on the list of items and I put my finger on it, keeping it there with no clue on what to do next, if anything was supposed to happen. Maybe someone did get their curious hands on my only possession and messed with it.

"Okay, so? I would like to have the longbow, magic book." I waited a few more moments but when nothing had happened, I took my finger away and sighed.

'This sucks. So everything I had is gone. Not even an everyday weapon will do anything." I leaned the book down towards my lap and leaned back. I closed my eyes and in a few seconds, felt something fall onto my lap. My eyes snapped open and I leaned forward, seeing what was there. A longbow had found its way from the room, which didn't have one to start with, into my possession. I cautiously reached out for it and lightly grabbed it, making sure it was real. Whenever I had enough proof it wasn't just a trick or an illusion, I closed the book and set it on the end table again. The longbow stayed where it was and I held it tightly, getting onto my feet. I pulled back the string and aimed as if an arrow was present. The string pulled back like it should and the bow felt like it was completely solid, which was extremely odd since I didn't have one anywhere near me a second ago. The door to the room was also securely locked from the inside so no one could sneak their way in. The only other access was a gap near the roof that led outside but there was no reason one would go to such extreme measures to make a simple joke.

'Okay, sure. Well, that doesn't prove a thing but maybe…" I looked back at the book that was where I had left it and walked over to it, staying on my feet and opening it again. It automatically flipped open to the first page where the word 'Items' was still by itself. I was about to flip the page using my currently filled hand when the bow disappeared again. My hand balled itself but I already knew what had happened. If my assumption was correct, whatever happened to my gold and many other items happened again to the bow. Wherever it came from, it went back to that place. I flipped the page over one and looked at the list. I had one question answered whenever the longbow was, once again, in its place on the list. I kept my eyes on the name in the list and, without saying a word, held my hand out facing the opposite way of my body and the word disappeared from the list. My head instantly turned whenever I felt a pressure in my hand and reflexively gripped whatever it was. My body turned to meet my heads direction and I was met with a longbow in my hand. Just like before but this time, it was faster. This was odd, even compared to someone being able to summon fire and lightning from their palms. I checked one last time and the longbow was absent from the list, just like it was when I last looked.

"O…kay?" I didn't have to test this bow to see if it was real since I could feel just from the texture of the wood that it was not a fake. I glanced back at the list one last time before the bow disappeared from view and took its place back on the list. I should have been alarmed about whatever the Breton had given me was a magical book that could conjure solid objects from a void but it didn't faze me. I had dealt with my fair share of awkward situations and such but this still topped anything I had seen so far. I had even made my way through a portal when I was younger back in Cyrodiil that led me to a place that was both demented and manic. It truly was a crazy place split between both extremes but this topped even that, but only by a little.

I continued to look through the book, experimenting with making different things appear including my gold and different articles of clothing until I had went back to the first page to see a new entry. It was labeled 'Quests'. I could easily assume what that was, not being more than a fancy way to say a to-do-list. I had assumed correctly whenever I flipped a page after the end of my items list and found only a few entries. One was a reminder for me to tell the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragon as well as helping to get the golden claw back. I didn't find that as exciting but it was something. It solved my problem of having to remember everything I had to do. After I had checked what I needed to one last time and backtracked to the first page, nothing else had appeared. There was still only 'Items' and 'Quests'. I sighed and closed the book, peeking one last time but nothing new had come. I put the book back on the end table, quite a lot more educated about the way it worked but still thinking I was missing something. Still, this was enough for tonight. I still had to process everything that happened and I would have to whenever I started off for Whiterun. The claw could wait a little and the dragon was much more of a dire situation. I got comfortable in the bed, falling asleep quickly to let another day pass.


End file.
